US EditionCity Staff Refuse to Work at 2 Toronto Indoor Pools, Citing Unsafe Conditions Due to Humidity
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, JUL 30 – Lifeguards refused work at two Toronto pools due to heat levels reaching 40-45°C caused by faulty dehumidifiers, with no medics present at critical times, union said.
- Amid a heat warning, staff at two Toronto indoor pools refused to work, prompting the city to close Birchmount and Main Square pools on Tuesday.
- Nas Yadollahi, CUPE Local 79 president, says indoor humidex readings reached between 40°C and 45°C due to malfunctioning Dectron units.
- Under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act, workers refused to work, noting medics were absent when humidity levels exceeded 45°C, which the union says requires increased staffing.
- The city says Main Square pool should reopen today, and Birchmount is expected to reopen on Thursday as it works to fix dehumidification systems.
- With Toronto under its fifth heat warning this year, City Council will review a heat relief strategy report and consider reinstating a chief resiliency officer.
11 Articles
11 Articles
2 Toronto pools close as staff refuse to work, citing excessive heat, humidity
The president of the union representing Toronto inside workers says the city has failed to provide safe working conditions at multiple pools, with the humidex at two indoor pools reaching values of 40-45.
The Peterborough Examiner
Two indoor pools in Toronto closed after staff walked out due to extreme heat: union
TORONTO - A union representing Toronto workers says unbearable heat forced the closure of two indoor pools Tuesday, and they remain closed this morning.
City closes two indoor pools as lifeguards, staff refuse to work in extreme heat conditions
The pools at Birchmount Community Centre and Main Square Community Centre were closed Tuesday after staff refused to work when humidex readings hit between 40 C and 45 C — the threshold requiring increased staff levels. Efforts are underway to reopen both pools as early as Wednesday.
Union blames City for 2 recent heat-related indoor pool closures in Toronto
The union that represents the City of Toronto's inside workers is blaming the City after a popular indoor pool was forced to close on Tuesday because of extreme heat that it says posed "unsafe" work conditions for staff.
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